


Aleu and Estelle's Wolf Quest

by PerkyGoth14



Category: Balto (1995)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-04-04
Packaged: 2018-03-10 08:36:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3283949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Fudo and Forte family decide to go to Alaska again, curious of what Balto and Jenna had been up to since they all last saw each other. Balto and Jenna surprise the family with their litter of puppies, but the only one left behind is one who looks a lot like her father, named Aleu. Meanwhile, Akito, Estelle, and Vincent have been having a series of mermaid dreams lately.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Akito, Estelle, and Vincent were visiting Elizabeth, James, and Junior after the news of Vincent being brought back to the family. Elizabeth and James were curious why they never heard them mention having another son before and once Mo and Atticus explained why it was, they understood. Junior was in his room with Scamp and Angel. The two now fully grown dogs were resting together as Angel was still pregnant with the puppies since days before Christmas.

"Hey." Estelle said to Angel.

Angel yawned and tried to get herself up as her belly looked expanded due to her pregnancy. "Hello, Estelle... You've grown so much since I last saw you."

"Yeah, only one thing is the same, I'm single." Estelle said.

"Oh, you don't need a boyfriend yet, you're still growing," Angel smiled softly. "There'll be plenty of time for you to find someone... Though, I found Scamp when I was only a puppy..."

"I guess." Estelle said.

"I still love you all the same." Angel gently nuzzled against her mistress's daughter.

"And I love you too, Angel." Estelle said.

Angel smiled, then yawned again, curling up into a little fluff ball to get some more rest, she was more sleepy ever since she found out she was going to have puppies.

Junior was in the backyard with Atticus, Akito, and Scamp.

"I wonder how Balto and Jenna are doing." The twins said in unison.

"Who are they?" Junior asked his nephews.

"A wolf-dog and a female red Siberian Husky." Akito said.

"Oh, where'd you meet them?" Junior asked with a smile.

Elizabeth came out with a tray of cookies for the kids as she walked a bit slowly, due to her aging. "They went to Nome, Alaska for a little while to see the dogs race... According to what I heard, Balto was part husky and part wolf."

"Sounds cold." Junior laughed, freezing just to be funny.

"Nice one." Akito said.

Elizabeth gave cookies to her grandchildren with a smile.

"Thanks, Mom." Junior smiled.

Lady came out with Danielle, Annette, and Collette following her as they had grown too and looked more mature since the others had last seen them.

"Hey, girls." Atticus said.

"Hi, Atticus!" the triplets greeted.

Danielle came after her sisters, scratching herself, much to their annoyance.

"Dani, a proper lady does not scratch herself in public!" Collette scolded.

"It's absolutely wrong." Annette added.

"She must have a flea." Atticus suggested.

"It's still not lady-like." Collette huffed.

"Absolutely not lady-like!" Annette seemed to repeat herself.

"Hey, don't talk to your sister like that." Junior told the spaniels after his mother went back inside.

"We will if we want," Collette said, then looked back to him. "Wait, you can understand us like Mo, Atticus, Akito, Estelle, and Vincent?"

"I grew up around dogs all my life, it's kind of expected." Junior shrugged.

"True." The twins, Atticus, and the grown-up pups said in unison.

"You're a good kid, even if you're growing up..." Lady nuzzled against Junior. "After all... Tramp saved your life."

"He did?" Junior didn't remember.

"Yeah, there was this rat that got in the house and Dad tried to get it, but Great-Aunt Sarah wanted to get rid of Dad because she thought he was bad." Collette smiled in admiration.

"Absolutely true!" Annette added.

Junior listened to the story.

Mo came out and sat beside Atticus with a smile. "Brings back a lot of memories, huh?"

"Yeah, sure does." Atticus said.

Estelle was listening to the story while drawing Balto and Jenna and drew an litter of puppies with them.

"Is that Balto and Jenna then?" Vincent looked over.

"It's a perfect day," Mo smiled as she watched the others. "I'm glad we chose to come visit today."

"Yeah." Atticus said.

"Uh-huh." Estelle agreed.

Vincent smiled. "I never knew about wolf-dogs, they sound totally cool."

"Well, maybe, we can go there sometime, I just hope its soon." Estelle said.

Wendy Darling was walking down the street as she held her stomach was walking with a little girl holding her hand.

"Oh, hello." Wendy greeted the happy family.

Vincent looked over to Wendy and the young girl. "Hello." he said.

"Our mail got mixed up." Wendy handed the letters to Mo and Atticus.

"Again?" Mo scoffed, this had happened before when she still lived with Elizabeth and James. "You'd think they'd learn by now."

The little girl looked a little shy and kept hiding behind her mother. Vincent waved at her with a kind and friendly smile. The girl blinked, waving to him gently.

"Jane, come on out, don't be shy," Wendy told her daughter. "I'm sorry, she used to be more outgoing before..."

"It's okay, ma'am." Akito assured her, then went to get a closer look at Jane.

Mo flipped through the envelopes, then saw one directly for her and Atticus, though they didn't live here live here anymore. Estelle went over to Vincent.

"Hey, Jane, I'm Akito and that girl over there is my twin sister, Estelle and next to her is our one year older brother, Vincent, we're your three cousins." Akito said as he extended his right hand to her.

"We're cousins?" Jane looked at them, tilting her head.

Vincent looked at the letter with Mo and Atticus.

"It's from Aunt Cherry." Mo said with a smile.

"Yeah." Estelle said as she came over to her twin brother and cousin.

"What does it say?" Vincent asked.

"She's spending a vacation with Forte, Felicity, Simon, and her other son, Thomas, it says." Mo explained to her family.

"Where are they spending their vacation?" Vincent asked.

"They've visited Alaska." Mo smiled, remembering when they went to visit Nome, despite poor Estelle getting sick.

The name of Alaska got the twins excited.

"We have to get going," Wendy said to the group as she took Jane's hand back. "Edward's parents are in town and they would love to meet Jane."

Jane waved her hand gently to the family as she went off.

"Why don't we visit Alaska again?" Mo suggested to her husband.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Atticus said.

"How 'bout it, kids?" Mo looked to her children.

Akito and Estelle of course accepted while Vincent was thinking, he wasn't there the last time they went. "Well, if my twin siblings are going, then count me in." He said.

"That's the spirit." Mo smiled down to him.

Later that night, they decided to leave in the morning after they would have a nice Sunday dinner with James and Elizabeth like most children do with their grandparents on Sunday evenings.

"Did you hear?" Angel came up to her mate. "Mo and Atticus are going to Alaska."

"I know." Scamp said.

"Sometimes I wish we could go with them..." Angel smiled as she lowered her head a little. "I hear Jim Dear and Darling say the vet said though that travel wouldn't be good for me right now..."

This was a predicament they were in.

Angel nuzzled against Scamp. "I can't believe we're gonna be parents."

"I know I can't believe it either." Scamp said with a smile.

"I wonder what mine were like?" Angel smiled as she looked into the clouds as if they provided an answer. "If they would've liked me... If they would've liked Mo... If they would neglect me from when Mo and me ran away from our last family and became one with the Junkyard..."

"Our pups are going to love you for who you are and they are going to love me for who I am." Scamp said.

Angel smiled, nuzzling her nose against his as it was like kissing for dogs.

Junior came with a chunk of the roast that his mother made for him and the others and placed it in between the dogs. "There you go, you two soon-to-be parents." He said.

Angel and Scamp smiled at him, then started to eat the food they were given.

"Mom, Dad, I had the weirdest dream last night." Estelle said.

"Me too." Akito added.

"Me three." Vincent finished.

"What happened?" Mo asked her children.

"I was under water and I could breathe and then I looked and saw that I was a mermaid." Estelle said.

This shocked Atticus and Mo.

"No way, I had that exact same dream, except I was a merman." Akito and Vincent said in unison.

This shocked Atticus and Mo completely now along with junior's parents and the dogs. Because you see, if all three of the siblings had the same dream, it meant something. Atticus and Mo just wondered what this could mean. For Atticus, being from a merman himself only in his human form knew that this might mean that the siblings would soon transform underwater, but the question would be when.

"What an interesting dream." James remarked, not having known.

"I have a feeling this vacation will be an amazing adventure." Estelle said.

"Maybe, maybe not, I believe leaving your home is adventure enough." Elizabeth smiled.

"Oh, I'm so excited." Estelle said.

"Thank you so much for coming." Elizabeth smiled as she took James's hand.

"Yes, thank you." James said to his family brought up by his foster daughter.

Mo smiled, very happy that they adopted her as their daughter after she and Angel tried so hard to find one home to keep for their own. Junior looked happy for them, but he was a little sad inside that he never found a girlfriend yet. Estelle felt the very same way.

Junior gently ruffled up Estelle's hair in a playful uncle sort of way, smiling down to her. "You'll find someone soon enough, you're pretty enough as it is."

"Yeah, but when?" Estelle asked.

"Someday, you have plenty of time to explore." Junior soothed her.

"Yeah, you're right." Estelle said with confidence.

"It'll be okay, sweetheart." Junior continued to soothe with a smile.

"Be safe on your trip, we know you've been to Nome before, but be very careful." James told the family.

"We will, Dad." Mo smiled at her adoptive father.

Atticus agreed with Mo. After dinner, the Fudo family decided to go to bed early so they could get going by tomorrow morning.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Estelle, Akito, and Vincent were already in the car while Atticus and Mo would say good-bye to Junior, James, Elizabeth, Angel, Scamp, Lady, Tramp, and the triplets.

"Oh, I'm so excited!" Estelle beamed.

Akito thought about this since Angel was now pregnant. "You think Balto and Jenna would have puppies?"

"Oh, I hope so." Estelle said.

"So, tell me about them," Vincent asked his younger brother and sister. "What happened the first time you all met?" He had to know since he didn't know them then and hadn't been.

Estelle and Akito told Vincent everything. Vincent listened in vast interest, he just wished he could have been there. Atticus and Mo then got into the car, after saying their goodbye's. Elizabeth and James waved as they went back inside to get some more sleep as it was bright and early this morning. 

Atticus, Mo, Akito, Estelle, and Vincent were all now making their way to the airport. The kids slept on the way and woke up when they were getting to the airport to get to Alaska. They were all now making their way to their flight. The twins and boy were given three seats together while Atticus and Mo sat with a different passenger. The flight there was fun for the three kids.

"You ever ride a plane before, Vince?" Akito asked his brother.

"No, I haven't." Vincent said.

"Here, try some of this if your ears hurt." Estelle handed a pack of gum.

"Thanks." Vincent said.

Estelle smiled, then looked out the window as the sun came into view as they were gliding past the nearly dead trees, filled with endless branches and snow. Estelle was so excited, she just had a feeling something exciting was going to happen. The plane was slowly dropping up and down. That only meant one thing: They were landing.

"Wahoo!" Estelle beamed.

The plane was now going down the runway again to safely bring them into their destination.

'Ladies and gentlemen, please do not unbuckle your seat-belts until the appointed time, but we have reached our destination of Nome, Alaska, it is currently 45 degrees outside, bundle up and keep warm of this cold climate and have a nice day!' the pilot was heard.

Everyone did as the pilot said. The plane rolled down the runway, making it's way to the Alaskan airport. Estelle was really excited. The airplane had a bell toll and everyone stood up, getting out of their seats and collecting their bags to leave the airport. 

"I'm so excited!" Estelle beamed.

The Fudo family left the airport. Felicity was shown in her jacket as she carried a rather large sign that had their names on it as they walked into the airport, off the plane. She still hadn't aged a bit. 

"There's Felicity." Vincent said as he noticed her.

Akito and Estelle went ahead of their parents and saw their 'cousin'.

"Bonjour, mon famille." Felicity smiled at them, being the bright and cheerful girl she always was, despite her parents being dark and gloomy.

The twins and Vincent hugged Felicity since they haven't seen her since their adventures in New York. 

Felicity smiled at the three of them. "Maman and Papa are sitting at a cafe table, they got hungry while waiting for the lot of you."

"Understandable." Atticus said.

"What is the news?" Felicity asked them what was new, her English was still bouncy here and there, but she seemed to had improved since they all last saw her.

"Well, we met our cousin Jane." Akito said.

"Jeanne?" Felicity wondered. "Who is she?" She asked as she led her cousins to get with her parents.

Cherry and Forte were shown in a very dark part of the cafe, very dimly lit and they looked like typical Goth people who visited a coffee shop because they were being more depressed than usual. Even Simon who was now able to sit up on his own and speak at times had his own cup of coffee as he was sipping next to his equally dreary parents.

"She's Aunt Wendy's daughter." Akito said.

"I have not yet met her... Is she nice?" Felicity asked with a smile.

"Oh, Wendy..." Cherry sighed. "I haven't seen her since the funeral..."

Simon looked to Akito, Vincent, and Estelle as he sipped his own java. He merely blinked at them, being as anti-social as his parents.

"Uh, hi, Simon." Estelle said.

Simon put his cup down, waving to them gently, then stared back across the room.

"He doesn't talk much, dears..." Cherry took out a pack of her cigarettes, then took one out to smoke.

Simon became expressive then.

"Okay, but remember, just one." Cherry reminded her son, then got one of the fiery sticks for him to smoke.

Simon took it and started to smoke it after it was lit. It was part of his strange DNA that he could smoke at his age and not worry about the consequences. 

"Reminds me of Herman." Cherry commented to Atticus.

"Um, if you need me, I'll be with Jenna." Estelle said.

"And I'm going to be with Balto." Akito said.

"Not yet, kids, we're going with your 'aunt' and 'uncle'." Mo told them.

Simon coughed a bit, but kept smoking.

"I told you to quit as soon as he was born, if he hadn't seen you with that filthy thing, he wouldn't have done it too." Forte scolded his wife. 

Cherry mocked him, rolling her eyes, but hugged Felicity. A few minutes, later the twins rushed off to Jenna and Balto. The kids wandered about the snow as a familiar goose was going around. Akito went to the abandoned boat where Balto was while Estelle went to Rosy's house to see how Jenna was. Jenna was with Balto and they had something covered with them.

"Jenna, look..." Balto looked ahead and couldn't believe what he saw.

"What is it, Balto?" Jenna turned her head.


	3. Chapter 3

Akito and Estelle were with in sight. Balto smiled, then walked over the twins, excitedly seeing them. Vincent followed after his twin brother and sister and was a little alarmed to see Balto at first, but since he was friendly with Akito and Estelle, his worries quickly ceased. 

"It's so great to see you again, Balto," Akito said. "So, where's Jenna?"

"Yeah?" Estelle asked Balto.

Balto was distracted by Vincent and sniffed him, then turned to the twins. "I didn't know you guys had another brother..."

The twins then told Balto everything. 

Balto gripped onto every word. "Thank goodness you're all okay."

"Yeah, we are too." Vincent said.

Balto smiled to them. "Would you guys like to see Jenna now?"

"Yes, please." The three siblings said.

Balto led them to where he often stayed before the town grew to like him. "Jenna, we have visitors."

Jenna smiled at the three of them. "Hello, old and new friends."

"Hey, Jenna." The twins said.

"So, has anything new happened?" Estelle asked.

"Yes, a lot now that you mentioned it, especially new members of our little family." Jenna explained.

"Oh, does Rosy have a little brother or sister?" Akito asked.

Balto chuckled a bit. "That's not what she meant."

"Is Jenna pregnant?" Vincent asked.

"Actually..." Jenna removed the blanket to show an array of wolf-dog puppies who looked like both Balto and Jenna. The pups were yipping happily as they saw the humans and looked very friendly.

"Aw!" The three siblings said.

But then, Estelle brought out a drawing of Balto, Jenna, and the puppies and where it was the exact amount of puppies.

"What are their names?" Vincent asked.

"So far we just got Aleu, Kodiak, and Dingo." Jenna answered, gesturing to the three puppies who had names.

Felicity caught up with the others and instantly squealed in delight at the sight of the other puppies, due to her inner child girlish nature which came out once in a while. That shocked Estelle, because those three names were also the same three names that were for three of the puppies in her drawing. Felicity picked one up and nuzzled her button nose against its.

"Do you mind if we help you name the rest?" Vincent asked.

"Not at all, we'd love the help." Jenna smiled. 

Felicity took a look at the puppy she held, tilting her head. "I am naming this one Lucille."

"What a wonderful name." Jenna said.

Vincent then went over to one of the puppies. The other puppies looked up to Vincent, merely barking and yipping up to him, not exactly talking yet, it was like newborn humans who would only coo and babble. One of them went up to him and then he picked him up.

"So, what are you going to name that puppy, Vincent?" Akito asked.

"Hmm..." Vincent tried to think. 

Estelle pet another one as she stood next to Felicity and 'Lucille'.

"Dmitri." Vincent said.

The pup yipped in return, liking that name a bit. 

"Now he needs an Anastasia." Felicity chuckled a bit.

The last pup yipped in return, liking that name.

"You wanna be called Anastasia?" Estelle asked the last puppy.

The last puppy yipped again. All the pups now had the exact same names that were on the drawing. The puppies were happy now that they all had names instead of just the three and Balto and Jenna were very proud parents. This sure was a great day. The puppies grew fond of these humans and loved them as much as they loved their parents.

Cherry and Forte decided to take this time to catch up with Atticus and Mo since it had been a while since they all last saw each other. All of the pups each liked to play and the kids always liked to play with them, but Aleu was a bit different, for one thing, she just loved to howl and the other thing, was that she looked a lot like a wolf pup. The adults watched the kids and pups from where they were.

"I guess they've found Balto and Jenna..." Cherry muttered as she stood stiff with Forte's arm around her.

"Yeah, sure looks like it." Atticus said.

"Well, Simon can walk now and he's learned to speak, but he sounds like a Latin book." Cherry looked down to the tiny tyke who was standing with them and looked like he was very bored easily, despite being at a young age where most at that age were endlessly happy and carefree.

Simon pulled on his mother's pant leg.

"No, Simon, you've already had a smoke today, you know the rules." Cherry looked down to him, knowing what he wanted without having to ask or hear a word from him.

The adults then heard a wolf pup howling, it was Aleu.

"I haven't heard a wolf howl like that in years..." Forte murmured. "Her name was Anui."

"That's Balto's deceased mother," Cherry looked up at him. "I did such research at the library after Flick taught us about what she experienced with Akito while Estelle and Rosy were ill."

"I knew Anui too," Forte explained. "She was a very beautiful and graceful wolf who was very different than most wolves and fell in love with a male Siberian Husky instead of another wolf..."

"Well, it's a good thing she fell in love with a Siberian Husky." Atticus said.

"How is that?" Forte asked him, not really knowing the wolf-dog since he wasn't there last time like Vincent.

"Balto was born," Cherry rolled her eyes like it was obvious. "And now Balto and Jenna have their own kids."

"Yep." Mo said.

"You're an interesting girl," Forte looked to Mo. "Your biological parents would be proud."

Mo agreed with him there.

"They were good folks." Forte had a small smile, implying that he had known them before they died when Mo was a little girl.

"Wait, did you know them?" Mo asked.

"Indeed I had," Forte rubbed the back of his neck against his silver hair. "Though, when I met them, your father was having a hard time trying to win your mother, they were in school after all... But, after they shared a dance together at that little party, it was indeed love at first sight as they shared their dance together."

"Aw!" Mo said.

"I happen to have a picture of them too." Forte smiled softly to the girl.

"Could you please let me see it, please?" Mo asked politely.

Forte dug into his coat pocket.

Cherry then winced as she realized something. "I thought that was something else... It's in my cabinet back home... I'm sorry, Mo..."

Mo was really sad, but put on a smile. "That's alright I can wait a little longer." She said.

"I'm sorry, guys..." Cherry looked to her husband and friend.

"That's fine, Cerise, I wasn't sure it was them myself until I was acquainted with Monique." Forte gently patted her head.

Cherry grimaced, touching her own head, glancing at him.

The next day, the pups were all now in a box. The puppies were going to be sold off to different homes.

"We'll visit you, pups in your new homes, promise." Akito said.

"I'm going to miss the ones who will be adopted." Jenny pouted a little.

"It'll be alright." Balto nuzzled her for comfort.

One by one, each of the pups were adopted all, but Aleu. Balto and Jenna watched as the pups were taken to new homes. It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. 

"I am guessing they will be okay now..." Felicity murmured a bit as she played with one of her pigtails.

"Yeah." Estelle said.

Boris flew over then, after meeting and greeting with the Fudo siblings, he came to check out the pups, and saw that only one was left.

"None of the families wanted to adopt her." Vincent said.

"Oh, poor thing..." Boris looked to see the lonesome wolf-husky pup. 

Balto and Jenna looked into the box of their only child left, still having supportive smiles and made sure she would be happy.

"We'll help keep her happy." The Fudo siblings said.

Felicity held Aleu briefly with a smile. "She reminds me of you, Balto..."

"Yeah, I can see that." Jenna smiled in agreement.

"Like her grandmother too then." Balto added.

The kids were going to be helping them keep Alue happy. Aleu felt very lonely without her brothers and sisters around, but she still liked the contact she had with these humans.

"It will be alright, girl." Felicity soothed.

Vincent pet the wolf-dog pup and where this made Aleu happy. Akito and Estelle then suggested maybe Aleu should meet Muk and Luk and where she did. Boris was extremely hesitant about seeing the polar bears again, but he allowed his 'niece' to do that.

"Why was Boris being hesitant about Aleu seeing the polar bears?" Vincent asked.

Akito shrugged.


	4. Chapter 4

"Rosy said that her dad has a surprise to show us that happened while we were gone." Estelle told her brothers. 

"He said it is a great honor." Felicity added.

"Then we better not keep him waiting." Vincent said.

Aleu was still puzzled about herself. "You guys go ahead."

"Yes, I'll look after her," Boris assured them. "I'm her babysitter."

"I'm not a baby anymore, 'Uncle' Boris..." Aleu nearly rolled her eyes at the goose.

"She's right, you know." Akito said to the goose.

"It's still my responsibility, I promised Balto and Jenna I'd take good care of her since her brothers and sisters are gone." Boris told the human kids as they went off.

Felicity led them over as they came to see Jenna's human family. 

"Good to see you again, kids." Sandra smiled, it had been a while since they all last saw each other.

"Likewise." Akito said.

"At least it's a bit warmer now," William told them, it didn't always snow in Alaska. "Not like your hometown though."

"I will get used to it." Felicity assured that the cold never bothered her anyway.

"I'm used to warm and cold weather." Vincent said.

"We were told of a surprise?" Akito prompted.

Estelle nodded.

"Right, come with me." William told them with a smile, leading a way over somewhere else.

The kids did as they were told. William came by and he stopped to show them what he wanted to show them. It was a statue dedicated to Balto, and not only that, it was also for Akito from their last adventure here in Alaska. Balto and Akito were now heroes in the eyes of the people in their part of the world.

"Cool, it's Balto and Akito." Estelle said as she admired the statue of her twin brother and the wolf-dog.

"We really appreciate it from you two, we're so sorry we didn't give Balto a chance." William calmly told them.

"You guys saved me, Estelle, and a whole bunch of other kids!" Rosy beamed.

"Well, we couldn't just stand around while you and Estelle and a whole bunch of other kids were sick." Akito said to Rosy.

"That was very brave..." Rosy sounded like she looked up to Akito now. "You could've gotten hurt... But you did it..."

Balto was coming back with Aleu, he kind of had a scolding look on his face toward her.

"It's about time for lunch, we'll call you when we're ready." William told the kids, then went inside with Rosy and Sandra with Akito, Vincent, Estelle, and Felicity's parents.

"Alright." Akito said.

Rosy went ahead with her parents.

"Balto, Aleu, is there something wrong?" Felicity asked.

"There was a human in the forest," Aleu replied, like she was angry with her father. "He probably wanted to adopt me, but Dad made him go away..."

"Did the man have a weapon with him?" Akito asked her.

Aleu didn't know what a weapon was.

"He had a gun, he could've killed you, Aleu." Balto warned his daughter sharply.

"Oh, I do not like pistolets..." Felicity whimpered.

"Your father saved you from being killed, Aleu." Akito said.

"But he could have wanted to adopt me," Aleu argued a little with a sigh. "I don't understand... Why doesn't anybody want to adopt me?"

"*sigh* Balto, I think it's time you told her." Akito said to the famous wolf-dog.

"Tell me what?" Aleu asked, confused.

Balto sighed himself, Akito was right, he looked to Aleu. "Well... That human was hunting you because... Well... They hunt and kill wild animals for food and fur..."

"So?" Aleu asked. "I'm not a wild animal."

"Well, he thought you were..." Balto explained, trying to make her understand. "He thought you were a wolf..."

"Lunch is ready!" Sandra called from inside.

"You guys go ahead, I'll tell her more about this, Father/Daughter talk." Balto told the humans. 

"Of course, Balto," Estelle nodded with Felicity. "We understand."

"Yeah." Akito noded.

The twins and Felicity joined Vincent as he was waiting and they all went inside. Balto walked with Aleu to talk about this back in the abandoned boat.

Sandra served everyone chicken sandwich with potatoes. Cherry and Forte only briefly ate while Simon appeared to be trying to kill his food before he ate it. Felicity ate a lot more than her parents did. Akito and Estelle really enjoyed the food that was on their plates.

"Was it nice to see Balto again?" Mo asked her children with a smile.

"Yeah, it sure was." Akito said.

"Too bad that one pup look much after her father," William sighed as he helped Rosy cut her sandwich a little. "Reminds me of when no one really liked Balto."

"I did..." Rosy piped up.

"Yes, you and Jenna." William chuckled a little.

"What's next?" Cherry spoke up gravely. "Another sled dog race and Aleu becomes the first female wolf-dog and it becomes a tradition where wolf-dogs are in races instead of Siberian Huskies?"

"She behaves more like a wolf than a dog." Atticus said.

"It's probably brought down from her grandmother," Forte shrugged. "I met Balto's mother once..."

"You did not," Cherry glanced to him. 

"Yes, I did," Forte looked back at her. "I'm over 300 years older than you, I've seen a lot of stuff in my life."

"What was she like?" The twins and Vincent asked in unison.

"She was gentle for a wolf," Forte explained, telling them and his own children. "You see... When I was on my way to find Cerise after some troubles I caused with the now Queen Belle and King Adam, I accidentally wandered into a forest. I was lost and I wasn't sure where to go and I was sure that would actually kill me. However, this wolf, white as snow, and a warm demeanor, came to me... She was like a pet to me, because she led me to this lake which wasn't frozen and had fish in it that I would eat for meals. She even helped me get clean, drinking water, and I made a fire after she led me to a cave where she was with this male Siberian Husky..." He started.

"Let me guess, that was Balto's father, right?" Akito asked.

"I should say so," Forte had a nod. "This was a bit before Balto was born though... Silver was a lost dog himself, his master had died from a terrible blizzard that had happened before I came, he then found the love of his life, Aniu... I was lost for about two weeks before anyone could find me... But I had been surviving with them, even though he was a dog and she was a wolf, they were great caretakers..."

"Aw!" Estelle, Rosy, and Felicity said.

"After I was found, I can't remember ever seeing them again or not, but when I came back around the area, I overheard the name of Balto, the wolf-dog..." Forte concluded. "I figured he had to had been Silver and Anui's son."

"Wow." The kids said, sounding interested.

"Papa, I never knew that about you..." Felicity whispered.

"You have much to learn about your old man." Forte smirked down to her.

Simon kept trying to wolf down his dinner, he seemed to be gnawing at it like a carnivore in the jungle just killing its prey. He was even snarling and growling.

"Cherry, is your son well?" Sandra was concerned.

"Oh, that's normal for him, he's just really hungry." Cherry informed.

"Yeah, this isn't really a surprise for us." Estelle said.

"I told you not to smoke when you were pregnant with him..." Forte glared at his wife.

"And I told you, I wanted birth control pills..." Cherry glared back.

"Love is strange." Estelle said.

"Yeah..." Akito chuckled, then found himself thinking of Eloise from their Christmas at the Plaza Hotel.

"My parents express their love a bit stranger than the others in love..." Felicity shrugged, she sometimes questioned her parents' relationship.

"You can say that again." Vincent said.

Cherry gently stroked her daughter's hair. 

"Maman, could we please go back outside right now?" Felicity asked.

Cherry hummed, then looked over to Atticus and Mo. "What do you guys think?"

"Well, since it's not in the winter, sure." Atticus and Mo said.

"Go ahead, but be back before it gets too dark." Cherry told the kids.

Felicity thanked William and Sandra for everything, then decided to get ready to go out. Rosy finished too and walked outside with her new 'gang' of friends.


	5. Chapter 5

"How do you think Balto's and Aleu's father/daughter talk is going?" Estelle asked Akito and Felicity.

"If anything like mine, very serious." Felicity shrugged.

"I'm sure they can work something out, Balto's always been a good man... Er... Canine." Estelle gave her best guess.

"Still, we best go and see of how it's going." Akito said.

Felicity took a look at how quickly the sun was going down here.

"Guys, I don't know if we can..." Rosy sounded nervous, she wasn't able to go with them to meet and talk to Balto, after all, she couldn't even talk to him like they all could, even if Felicity only could with her special necklace given to her from Pride Rock.

Vincent then kissed Rosy on her forehead to let her have the ability to talk to animals as well.

"Vincent, what about Jennivere!?" Felicity over reacted from the kiss.

"It's okay, let him do that." Estelle put her hand on Felicity's shoulder with a reassuring smile.

Rosy blinked, glancing at Vincent. "W-What was that for...?"

They then went to where the abandoned ship and where Vincent, Akito, Estelle, Felicity, and including Rosy could hear two voices talking. Rosy had to wonder who it was, she looked ahead and saw the voices were coming out of Aleu and Balto, much to her shock. She could understand them now?

Balto and Aleu were taking a break for Aleu to suck it all in that because of her father and grandmother, she had wolf blood in her, it just spread more to her while her brothers and sisters took more after Jenna.

"Oh, good evening." Balto said to the incoming humans. "You brought Rosy with you?" He smiled to see the first human who had accepted him.

Rosy was still surprised about being able to talk to animals. "They invited me to come see you and Aleu, Balto."

"Yep and I gave a special gift, can you guess what special gift I gave her?" Vincent asked the famous wolf-dog.

Balto was impressed, but he did guess. "Talk to and understand animals?"

Akito and Estelle nodded.

"Is that why you have given her the kiss?" Felicity asked Vincent, she was just surprised he did that to Rosy since she knew that he liked Jenny back in New York.

"Yes, that's why I kissed Rosy on the forehead." Vincent said.

"Oh..." Felicity calmed down now.

"I'm impressed, Vincent," Balto smiled, he then looked to his daughter and sighed. "Do you understand Aleu?" He asked her, after having told her about his family and background of how Boris raised him after he was abandoned as a pup.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Aleu demanded to know.

"So, I guess you told her then." Akito guessed.

Balto nodded, then went back to CONTINUE his explanation to his daughter. "To protect you."

"Protect me?" Aleu looked angry, which startled the human kids. "From what? From the fact that no human will ever want me because I'm part wild animal!?"

This wasn't a side the kids liked to see in Aleu.

"What about my brothers and sisters?" Aleu remembered how they all got adopted when she was eight weeks old. "They've got wolf in them too! Why did humans want them?"

Balto knew she wasn't going to like the answer, but he had to say it. "Because they don't look it.... And you do."

"It's not fair!" Aleu sounded like an angry human teenager now. "I hate you!" She started to cry and ran away from the boat.

"Aleu, come back!" Balto called after her.

"Oh, no..." Rosy whimpered.

"Maybe now wasn't a great time for me to give you the gift to talk and understand animals." Vincent said.

"That's okay, I appreciate you did anyway." Rosy smiled softly to Vincent.

Balto sighed as he slowly slumped down with Aleu gone. "What am I going to do?"

"She probably just needs to blow off some steam." Estelle said.

"Maybe you're right..." Balto looked a little depressed.

Felicity sat by the wolf-dog, gently petting him. "It will be alright, I am sure..."

"Yeah." Vincent said.

"Oh, Balto..." Rosy gently held him. "We'll help in any way we can."

"I'm not sure if you can," Balto replied softly. "But thank you very much, kids... I just hope she won't get hurt."

"Me too." Akito said.

Balto yawned a little, he then looked up as it got dark very fast. "Oh, look at the sky... You guys should probably be getting back inside."

The kids then went back into the house, but before going back inside, Estelle looked towards the forest and then knew what she had to do. She was going into the forest to see if Aleu will not get hurt, but she had to do it while everyone else was asleep. Everyone shared their good nights. Cherry of course wasn't sleeping, but she allowed Estelle to go. Akito ran away the last time with Balto and she promised not to tell anyone, so she just let Estelle go off. After everyone, but Cherry were asleep, Estelle ran off into the forest after packing a few things, thinking it might be a long trip. 

After that, she sneaked out and ran off into the forest. Boris could've sworn he heard something odd, he looked around, then went back to sleep with Muk and Luk as Estelle went on her small adventure. They looked at her and then at them and just thought that Estelle wouldn't get into too much trouble.

"You think she'll be okay, Uncle Boris?" Muk asked.

"She should be if she's anything like her brother." Boris shrugged his wings, but went back to sleep with them.

"But, she ran off into the forest." Muk said.

"They won't hunt her, she's a human." Boris replied.

"You're right." Muk said as he went back to Luk and went back to sleep.

Boris slept calmly, until Luk grabbed him in his sleep, using him as a teddy bear. During that night, Estelle began to look and saw Aleu and started to follow her and made sure that she didn't get hurt.

Aleu kept running, she didn't want to go back home, she was in too much pain and felt like she couldn't belong anywhere in this world. Estelle CONTINUED to follow Aleu, even if she was tired and where Aleu heard Estelle's panting. Aleu stopped running and looked around. She then followed the sound of Estelle's voice and went over to the brown-haired girl.

"I wanted to make sure that you didn't get hurt." Estelle said while panting.

"Oh..." Aleu came close to her. "Well... Thanks, but no one wants to be around a wolf... You should probably go back where you came from."

"Um, yeah, about that, I kind of don't know my way back." Estelle said.

"Oh, that's never good..." Aleu sounded worried for her, then looked around. She seemed to be lost too. "Gosh, I never noticed how almost all these trees looked alike..."

"Let's continue on, besides if I know my brother, he'll want to go out with your dad to find us." Estelle said.

"We'll give it a try." Aleu sighed, she then walked with Estelle, she may have had a strong sense of smell, but she wasn't sure where the way home was.

This was going to be a long night for the both of them.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning was shocking for Rosy, her parents, Felicity, Forte, Akito and his parents. 

"Estelle is gone!" Felicity cried.

Cherry and Forte had wide eyes in shock, but they quickly narrowed, more of Chery's due to a lot lack of interest she had since she was older and immortal now. Simon crawled around with his blade in his mouth, but he removed it and pounced into the bed Estelle was to sleep in. He took a strand of Estelle's HAIR and handed it to Akito, as if he was asking the boy to maybe find out what happened to his sister.

"I don't know of where she is Simon, but I think your mother might know something." Akito said, narrowing his eyes at Cherry with his detective skills kicking in.

Simon looked to his mother.

Cherry looked down and sighed as all eyes were on her. "I don't exactly know where... But she's run off into the forest somewhere... I believe it was to find Aleu... You kids take so much after your father when it comes to helping someone who is ignored by everyone else..."

Then after he got dressed and ate breakfast, Akito ran out to go to where Balto was. Vincent, Felicity, Rosy, and Simon wanted to go too. The adults stayed and tried to comfort Atticus and Mo for the loss of their only daughter.

"Balto! Balto!" Akito called out as he was approaching the abandoned boat.

Balto heard his name be called and he stood up on his legs. "Akito?" 

The others followed after Akito. Even if he was deathly at his age, Simon was coming too.

"Balto, Estelle ran off to the forest last night to find Aleu and never came back and I'm guessing that neither did Aleu." Akito said.

"Oh, this is terrible..." Balto sighed.

The two polar bears came by. 

"What are you deux doing?" Felicity asked.

"We're here to play with Aleu." Muk answered with a smile.

Luk chuckled in agreement, very excited.

"Well I'm afraid you won't be able to play with her today, because she didn't return last night and neither did Estelle." Vincent said to the polar bears.

"I was sure Aleu would return after time... She must be at her mother's..." Balto thought out loud.

"No, she isn't Balto... We could ask Jenna though, I haven't seen her since last night, but I think I saw her on the way over." Rosy informed.

"Come on, let's just go check real quick." Balto said to the human girl and left with the other humans just to check with Jenna.

Luk sniffled and started to cry.

"I know, I wish I had a mother too!" Muk held him, about to cry himself.

The wolf-dog and the kids then went back to Rosy's place. William and Sandra took Jenna outside.

Rosy rushed to her dog, gently stroking her muzzle. "Hi, Jenna..."

Jenna smiled to her. "Hello, Rosy..." she said, though it sounded like a bark or a whine to William and Sandra.

Vincent then went over to Jenna and whispered to her that Rosy had the ability to talk to and understand animals thanks to him and where right now was going to be coming in handy.

Jenna blinked, surprised. "Oh..."

Rosy giggled to her pet dog.

Jenna then saw the worried look in her mate's eyes. "Balto, what is it?"

"Aleu didn't come back from the forest last night." Vincent said.

"She didn't?" Jenna began to sound worried.

Simon shook his head instead of saying 'no'.

"Estelle is with her somehow!" Felicity added.

"We were hoping if you saw her come over here last night?" Vincent asked.

"No, I haven't," Jenna sadly shook her head. 

Balto looked very worried and sad. He felt like this was his fault.

"Did you happen to see where she had went?" Felicity asked.

"I think she went into the forest." Jenna gave her best guess.

"Of course!" Rosy thought that was an obvious choice.

"Then that's where me and Balto are going." Akito said.

Simon blinked, he then looked at everyone and seemed to be narrowing them down as he walked beside his sister.

"Simon thinks we should be splitting up." Felicity said to her friends.

"You guys stay here while me and Balto go out and find Aleu and Estelle." Akito said.

"What about me?" Rosy sounded nervous about being singled out.

"You best stay here with us and your parents." Felicity took her hand gently.

Simon nodded in agreement, not saying a word.

"Well, alright." Rosy said.

"It will be okay, Pinky..." Felicity assured her. 

Simon slowly nodded, even if he looked like he wanted to kill the girl than comfort her.

"Be careful, everyone... I just hope Aleu hasn't met another hunter..." Balto said softly.

"You and me both Balto." Akito said.

"Be careful out there." Vincent gently told his brother.

"I'll try." Akito said honestly.

"Come on, we better hurry along." Balto looked up to Akito. 

Vincent went to stay with Felicity, Simon, and Rosy.

"Yeah." Akito said as they began to make their way to the forest. He just hoped they weren't hurt.

Balto sighed and kept walking with Akito to get Aleu and Estelle. They went into the forest and called out Aleu's and Estelle's names.


	7. Chapter 7

Balto could've sworn something strange was following him, but every time he would look back, he would either find no one there or it was only Akito. A black and wispy raven was screeching though and rested on the high branch of a tree in front of them and looked to them, looking as though it had blood red eyes. 

"You..." Balto sounded angered. "What is it you want?"

Akito looked and saw it to. "I think it wants to help us find Aleu and Estelle." He said while looking at the bird.

The raven squawked again and flew off, but not too far. 

Balto glanced at it and followed to its new landing spot. "Alright, but only if it can get us to my daughter and your sister." He kept going, but there was thick gray fog around which made it hard to see any further.

"Where the heck did this fog come from?" Akito asked while he was looking around. "And where did that raven go?"

"We can't follow you in this!" Balto yelled to the bird guide, who seemed to disappear into the fog.

A not too far away crash was heard, revealing a tree trunk was knocked down over the waving water that would be dangerous to flal into. Balto was a little nervous to cross it, but he felt he had to.

"Come on, Akito." Balto quietly told the human boy, then went to get ready to cross it like a bridge.

"Al-Alright." Akito said as they began to make their way to the log bridge.

Balto and Akito carefully went ahead as there were two quiet, female voices were heard. Though it didn't belong to either Estelle or Aleu. There was a fox with a rope around its neck, looking over to them. The fox appeared to be stuck. There was also a girl who looked like a feral child, one who was abandoned by humans and in the care of the wild, she had wild black HAIR and had brown raggy clothes to cover her full body, arms, and a pair of furry boots with a necklace that appeared to have sharp teeth as the trinkets.

"You look disappointed." the fox said to them with a chuckle.

"Sorry, it's just that we thought that you two were someone else." Akito said.

"And we thought that you might be hunters," the fox said, trying to free herself with the human girl's help. "But unlike you, I'm not disappointed."

Balto looked down in dismay.

"Say, we'll help you find your sister and daughter if you help me out of this trap..." the fox said with a smirk, waving her tail rather lustfully.

"I don't know." Akito said unsure.

Balto suddenly had a thought and glared at the two. "How did you know about my daughter and his sister?"

"The raven told me," the fox smirked. 

"What do you know about the raven?" Balto CONTINUED.

"Less than you I'm sure," the fox chuckled. "Now, do we have a deal or don't we?"

The feral girl seemed completely silent.

"Deal." Akito said.

Balto glared at the fox, knowing how sneaky and tricky foxes were. "But no tricks..." he said to her, grabbing the rope with his mouth to free her. "There, now how can you help us find my daughter and his sister?"

"Easy," the fox slithered around swiftly. "By giving you both a little push..." she shoved Akito and Balto down into the water. 

The feral girl looked down to them as they were nearly drowning in the water.

"Hey, what you do that for?!" Akito exclaimed while they were trying to swim through the current.

"You must help yourselves," the fox told them. "I will have someone to guide you to the others though." She looked to the feral girl.

Akito began to try to swim as fast as he could his legs began to glow and then formed into one red tail fin. "What the heck?!" He exclaimed as he looked down to see his legs were replaced with a tail fin.

"This current is too strong!" Balto cried out, he didn't notice Akito's change yet, he was trying to make sure he wouldn't drown.

"Then let the current take you!" the fox called.

The feral girl clung to the log and purposely let herself fall into the water with them.

Akito did of what the fox said, but made sure that Balto and the feral girl were close to him so they wouldn't get separated. "Stay close together." He said as he brought Balto and the feral girl close to him.

The fox seemed to disappear as they disappeared into the water.

"Who are you?" Balto asked.

"I am Ingrid," the feral girl replied. "I live in the woods... My parents were killed in a hunting accident when I was very young and the creatures of the forest took me in as their own... I wear the cloth of the rebellion coyotes who once lived in this forest... The fox is my mother..."

"You mean the one that just disappeared?" Akito asked her, hoping that he was right or wrong about what he saw.

"Yes..." Ingrid nodded. "She mostly raised me and served as my mother... You might want to hold your breath, this is a deep way down."

Balto was already under the water, this was going to be a long and bumpy ride.

Akito did dive in to keep Balto close to them, but he didn't hold his breath, because it seemed that he could now breathe underwater, just like his dream. "Just like in my dream..." He said while going down the current.

Balto was knocked out however. Ingrid held her breath, she floated above and noticed that Balto was nearly drowning. She then nudged Akito to help her help him to get them to shore. 

"You got it." Akito said.

They both then swam to Balto and began to bring him and Ingrid up to shore. Balto was knocked out, but Akito and Ingrid got him to safety.

Ingrid looked to Akito and noticed the tail. "I did not realize you were a merboy..."

"A merboy? You mean a merperson?" Akito asked as he looked to her and then at his tail fin. "I didn't even know I was a merperson until now."

"I have only heard fables about them," Ingrid remarked. "How did that happen?"

"I don't even know all I know is that a few moments ago, my legs began to glow and then my legs disappeared and suddenly, I got a red tail fin." Akito said, even confused with how this happened.

"That is peculiar..." Ingrid was surprised, but didn't seem to be by that much. "Did something happen to you maybe before this...? Like, did maybe Ursula the sea witch or her crazy sister Morgana curse you?"

"No, but maybe my father would know, he's friends with Cherry, she's my aunt who's back in the town of Nome." Akito said as they got to the shore.

"Cherry?" Ingrid sounded like she knew who that was. "The girl who can talk to animals and has been on many adventures?"

"Yeah and my mom and dad can also talk to animals and so can me, and my sister and our older brother who is back in Nome with Mom and Dad and Felicity, our cousin and Aunt Cherry and Uncle Forte." Akito explained as they got close to shore.

Ingrid lay Balto out against shore, giving him some space and air. "You sound like you have an interesting human family, Akito... I bet you've been to plenty exotic places on your adventures..."

"Not really, most have been Nome and New York City." Akito said as he got himself onto the shore.

"What is this New York City...?" Ingrid tilted her head, she may have known a lot, but she didn't know a place called that.

"Oh, it's a big city with lots of buildings and where lots of people live there," Akito said while he's still trying to get on shore. "Little help, please."

Ingrid saw him struggling, then took his hands to pull him gently on the shore, she read that merpeople could stay out of the water for a long while, but not too long other wise their tails would get too dry and they might die. As soon as they got out of the water and Akito dried off, his tail fin glowed and disappeared and his legs reappeared.

"Huh. So, I guess whenever I'm in water, my tail fin appears and then when I'm on land, it disappears and my legs reappear." Akito said as he made an observation.

Ingrid hummed. "What could that mean...?"

There were distant voices heard. 

"Huh?" Ingrid looked over, she saw animals she did not really know, a couple of polar bears and a snow goose coming over.

"We're okay, you guys!" Akito called out to them. "Balto is just unconscious!"

Boris, Muk, and Luk came over.

"I never actually saw a polar bear or snow goose outside of winter..." Ingrid sounded amazed.

Muk looked over. "Akito, who's your girlfriend?"

Ingird looked annoyed. "I am not his girlfriend..."

"This is Ingrid and she's not my girlfriend, she's just a friend." Akito said.

"Sure..." Muk chuckled with Luk.

Boris was trying to wake Balto up.

"Uncle Boris...?" Balto was slowly waking up.

"Balto, you're up, great." Akito said.

Balto instantly started to sniff around.

"You sure you're not Akito's girlfriend?" Muk asked.

Luk put one his claws to latch against Ingrid's necklace.

"This was a gift from my mother..." Ingrid told the bears.

"It's true and she is not my girlfriend, I already have one back in New York City." Akito told the bears.

Muk and Luk still didn't want to believe it, even if it was true.

Balto couldn't see, but he kept sniffing.

"Balto, what is it?" Ingrid asked him.

"It's Aleu," Balto replied as he kept sniffing. "I got Aleu's trail!"

"Wherever Aleu is, Estelle can't be too far behind," Akito said. "Lead the way, Balto."

"Boris, go back and tell Jenna and the others not to worry," Balto told the goose. "We're going to bring Aleu and Estelle home."

Boris seemed hesitant at first, but agreed to do that.

Muk and Luk were going to go with him.

"Are you coming too?" Muk asked the human feral girl.

"If they need my help, I'll stay, if they can handle it, I'll come." Ingrid replied, looking to Akito and Balto to choose her next move.

The polar bears then just shrugged and went with Boris. Ingrid and Akito were now following Balto as he followed Aleu's trail.

Jenna was with Rosy, Felicity, Vincent and Simon as Boris came with Muk and Luk. 

"What do you mean 'they just ran off'?" Rosy asked them after it was explained she could talk to and understand animals now as well as everyone else.

"I mean they just ran off into the forest." Boris said.

"He must have Aleu's scent." Jenna remarked.

"Told me to tell you not to worry," Boris told the husky dog and humans. "He's a wolf on a mission with Akito."

Felicity looked determined. "We should be helping them."

"No, this is a mission between father and daughter and brother and sister." Boris said.

"You must have faith in them." Muk replied.

Luk nodded in agreement.

Jenna was hesitant to let that happen, but looked to them. "You're sure Balto has their trail?"

"Not just Aleu's, but also Estelle's." Vincent added in.

"I am positive." Boris said to reassure them.

"Are you sure they will be all right?" Felicity asked, more overwhelmed about this than any of them.

Simon looked very stoic and serious, he was sitting quietly though with blocks and made them spell out rather graphic words. Muk and Luk nodded. Jenna was just worried about Balto and Aleu being alone like that, Rosy held her dog in comfort and support, gently stroking her muzzle.

"Be safe." Vincent thought as he hoped his little brother and little sister would be okay in the wilderness.

"They'll be fine, Jenna, they'll be well-equipped," Rosy assured her pet. "They're both part wolf."

Jenna nodded and nuzzled against Rosy.

"Yeah and besides, they're with Akito and Estelle." Vincent said.


	8. Chapter 8

Speaking of Estelle, both her and Aleu were now lost and didn't know of where they were. 

Aleu kept looking around. "Estelle, I'm sorry... I think I got us lost..."

"It's okay this is my first time out in the wilderness too, I just hope we find someplace nice and warm soon." Estelle said.

Aleu nodded as she looked around, trying to use her sense of smell. Even if she said she had hated him before she ran away, Aleu kind of wished her father were there with them. Estelle also looked around until she saw a cave.

"Let's go into that cave, it's the closest one to us." Estelle said while pointing to the cave.

Aleu looked to see it. "Come on then." She said, going with the human girl.

They both went inside to see it was dark.

"Well, at least it's warm in here." Estelle said as they looked around the cave.

Aleu nuzzled against her gently. "It's not that cold, just get used to it... Winter is among us."

"Yeah, I guess I will have to get used to it." Estelle said.

They then began to hear someone singing. Aleu nuzzled with Estelle to keep her warm and looked around, wondering where the music was coming from and who was singing.

"Let's follow the echoes and see where they lead to." Estelle said as she began to walk forward further into the cave.

Aleu heard them better and led the way over for Estelle for her to follow.

"It's getting louder, we must be getting closer." Estelle said as she followed Aleu.

Balto and Akito were going with Ingrid, however, they ran into troublesome wolverines. 

"You invade our territory," one wolverine snarled to them. "What do you want?"

"Only to pass through unharmed," Balto replied softly. "I'm looking for my daughter."

Ingrid stood there in soft silence, she was going to help protect Akito and Balto. She didn't want them to fail their mission to find Estelle and Aleu.

"And looking for my twin sister," Akito said. "So, please let us pass."

"They're looking for their sister and daughter." the lead wolverine laughed with his lackeys.

"Yes, and they are following the raven." Ingrid added sharply.

"Why not the fox?" one of the wolverines taunted Ingrid being raised by the fox from earlier. "Or did she outwit them?"

"Don't talk about my mother that way!" Ingrid seethed.

"Listen, we don't wanna fight you guys, we just wanna find his daughter and my sister." Akito said pointing to Balto.

"Tell me," one wolverine came toward them. "Are you afraid?"

"No!" Balto snapped.

"Are you sure?" the wolverine taunted.

"Yes, we're not afraid!" Akito snapped.

The wolverines came closer to them.

Ingrid sensed danger in this, not only that, but the fear. "They are afraid."

Akito and Balto looked at her for calling them out like that, but they were indeed getting afraid. A voice came into Balto's mind to let himself be afraid which would guide him and the others back home. Akito and Balto might not have realized it, but this would actually help them find Aleu and Estelle.

"We are afraid, but, we are not afraid of you guys." Akito said to the wolverines.

"I'm afraid for my daughter," Balto told them firmly. "Akito's probably afraid for his sister, we have to find them. So get out of our way!"

"Yeah and that means now!" Akito said to them firmly.

Suddenly, the wolverines were chanting for them to go home. Almost as though they had no chance to survive out here, even if Balto had grown up in the wilderness. The black and wispy raven was cawing as it seemed to follow the boys.

"What is with you?" Akito asked the raven.

The raven only cawed.

"Are you following us?" Balto demanded to know.

The raven cawed and seemed to be leading them to a cave.

"*groans* Fine, lead the way." Akito said as they began to follow the raven.

Estelle and Aleu CONTINUED to follow the echoes of the singing. Balto and Akito led the raven into the night. Ingrid kept following them, she put her hood up and it made her look like a normal native wild animal due to her rags having ears and a tail at the end too. 

Estelle and Aleu looked around as they heard the gentle singing, it was like no voice they had heard before. The stalagmites came down and dripped down onto Aleu's nose as they went along in the dark and mysterious cave with natural beauty. Something glowing and shiny seemed to grab their attention as they went to that direction of the cave.

"Beautiful." Estelle said.

Aleu came closer with Estelle as they saw the crystals. They didn't seem as big once they got closer, but then looked down to see who was the one singing and it was a rodent-sized creature neither of them had seen. Aleu was bowing her head to the singing, it was very catchy to her. 

The rodent stopped and heard the human girl. "Oh, thank you, sometimes I just can't help myself." he chuckled.

"It's okay, your singing is very lovely just like Alue's." Estelle said.

"I'm sorry, did we interrupt you?" Aleu asked.

"Oh, no, I love to hear wolves sing," the rodent smiled. "It's one of your specalities, you also have a keen sense of smell. Such wonderful creatures you are..."

"I'm not a wolf." Aleu corrected, though was flattered by his compliments.

"Oh, then that is why I'm not afraid of you." the rodent giggled.

"You're quite a strange mouse," Estelle said to the rodent. "Especially around me, I'm a human." 

This made the rodent giggle.

"What's so funny?" Aleu asked the rodent.

"Why should I be afraid of two who don't know who they are?" the rodent asked back.

"We know who we are," Aleu replied. "I am Aleu, daughter of Balto and Jenna who happens to be a purebred Husky."

"And I am Estelle, daughter of Atticus and Mo Fudo and sister of Akito and Vincent Fudo, who are humans." Estelle said.

"I am Muru," the rodent introduced himself to them then. "Son of Kuhu and Quilac, both of them simple fieldmice. The answer tells us what we are, but not who we are."

"I don't understand." Estelle said.

"How do we find out who we are?" Aleu asked.

Muru responded by moving a few crystals around.

"What are you doing?" Estelle asked.

The crystals had shimmering and glowing lights around and it looked very majestically beautiful.

"I am shedding light where darkness lies," Muru explained. "When every creature in the world is born, a spirit stands beside them."

"Well, would dreams be connected to them?" Estelle asked the rodent.

"You could say that," Muru replied. "It lights their way through he long dark night... And sing them songs to guide them."

"Why?" Aleu continued to ask as a rainbow of symbols appeared.

"Because each of us has a destiny that sets us all apart," Muru continued. "The path is different for you and me, but the journey begins in your heart... You must go to the East, go to the West..."

They looked to east and then to west. Muru sang to them as he showed the shining and glittering crystals to show wolves and mermaids to Estelle and Aleu. 

"Th-That looks like a mermaid." Estelle said.

"Those are wolves..." Aleu whispered. "Muru, are you our spirit guide? Are you here to help us?"

It suddenly got dark.

Muru was not found anywhere, but his voice was heard. "Have faith and trust in yourselves and make the journey..."

"Muru?" Estelle asked as she looked around. "Where are you?"

Aleu went ahead to look for their new friend. However, she found glowing red eyes.

"Aleu, did you find Muru?" Estelle asked her until she saw the glowing red eyes. "*gulps*"


	9. Chapter 9

Aleu and Estelle saw the glowing eyes belonged to a big bear and they ran out of the cave. The bear chased after them, getting stuck between the hole, but the girls were on the edge of a cliff however. The girls had no choice, if they stayed up, they would get slashed by the bear, if they went back, they would fall to their deaths.

"Let's get ourselves ready for the bear." Estelle said.

"H-How?" Aleu shivered.

Before either of them could do anything, someone familiar hopped up to stop the bear.

"Papa!" Aleu cried, surprised.

Balto was forced against a rock wall, but he smiled to his daughter. "Glad you're still speakin' to me."

Akito joined in by attacking the bear. Aleu ran with Estelle to hide for cover when the bear tried to kill them all.

"Save yourselves, guys!" Aleu told Akito and Balto.

"What and miss all the excitement?" Balto chuckled.

Ingrid rushed by to help them, she may have been raised in the wild, but she was going to defend the others.

"Akito!" Estelle cried. "Took you long enough."

Balto jumped on the bear's back, but was knocked off. Aleu attempted to bite the bear on the leg, but was nearly kicked off the cliff, but her paw grabbed a hold of the edge.

"Well, do you have any idea how worried sick Mom and Dad are?" Akito retorted, kind of in a humoring way, despite being a life or death situation.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure aleu didn't get hurt." Estelle retorted, kind of in a humoring way, despite being a life or death situation while helping Aleu with the bear.

The bear tried to take them all down, but with Ingrid's help, suddenly, the bear fell on top of Balto and Akito, but they were able to get out from underneath. 

"Papa!!" Aleu cried for her father.

Ingrid came over to take Aleu's paws to help pull her up into safety. 

"A human saved me..." Aleu sounded touched. 

The bear came right back up, growling at them all.

"Stay away from us!" Estelle yelled at the bear.

"We'll hold him off," Balto told the girls. "You run for it."

"No, we'll hold him off and you run for it!" Aleu insisted.

"There's no time to argue, I'm your father and you do what I say, we'll have Ingrid with us!" Balto nearly snarled at his daughter since the bear was closer to them. 

"And I say I'm too big to be ordered around!" Aleu retorted as she pounced away from the claws.

"Will you both just be quiet!" The twins exclaimed out of annoyance.

The bear's eyes seemed to glow yellow this time.

Aleu looked into his eyes as hers glowed yellow too for some reason. "Wow..."

Ingrid saw this and whispered very softly that only Aleu could hear. "Inner knowing..."

Aleu blinked and turned to everyone. "We've got to jump."

"What?!" The twins asked, worried.

"But we'll be killed!" Balto argued.

"And we'll be killed if we don't!" Aleu said before she shoved her father off the cliff, jumped after him and bit onto Akito and Estelle's shirts to take them down too.

Ingrid seemed to concentrate before dropping and she waved her hands, which seemed to make the bear disappear from nowhere before she jumped with them.

"Are we dead yet?" Estelle asked while her eyes were closed.

The others opened their eyes to see there was actually a small ledge that kept them from falling to their deaths.

"You knew the ledge was here?" Balto looked to his daughter.

"Yeah, I did... Sorta..." Aleu wasn't sure herself.

"You looked to the bear and saw its thoughts." Ingrid recited like an ancient hymn.

"But, how is that possible?" Estelle asked.

"It's her true nature like her grandmother before her..." Ingrid advised.

Aleu looked over to Balto and Akito. "Why did you come and find us?"

"We came to bring you home." Balto replied.

"Yeah." Akito said.

"Aleu doesn't want to go home until she finds out who she is, I'm going with her." Estelle told them.

Balto chuckled. "This is ridiculous, Aleu, you know who you are."

"No, I know what I am, but not who I am, and I'm not stopping until I find out." Aleu answered, using Muru's turn of phrase.

"Then we're coming with you." Balto came to Estelle as Akito went to Aleu. 

Ingrid sniffed the air and pointed. "We're close to the ocean, follow me..." She led the way.

"You heard her." Akito said as he followed Ingrid.

Balto and Aleu wondered how a human could have such a strong sense of smell.

"I sure would like to know why we keep seeing that raven." Balto remarked as the cawing bird returned.

"You've been following a raven?" Aleu asked Akito and her father.

Balto smiled simply. "I know it sounds dumb, but I've been seeing this raven in my dreams."

"Really?" Estelle said. "Weird."

"I only followed it because it promised to help me find Aleu." Balto smiled.

Aleu rolled her eyes, but smiled. "I've been seeing a raven too."

Ingrid felt a disturbance and looked back to see a couple of hungry looking predators hiding in the back, trying to be quiet as the father and daughter were talking. She sniffed the air and looked a bit angered and dominant.

"What's wrong?" Akito asked her.

"Company," Aleu sniffed too. ""And it doesn't smell friendly."

"Let's get out of here." Balto commanded.

"I agree." Akito said.

The others went away where they wouldn't be found. They were going by the ocean and the girls were running by the rocks with the waves slowly coming, but they would get quick. Aleu seemed to love it though.


	10. Chapter 10

"Don't go out too far, Aleu, the tide's coming in fast!" Balto called to his daughter.

"Don't worry, Balto, she's perfectly safe." Estelle said.

"I'll be fine." Aleu smiled as she let the wind hit her face with her fur gently in the breeze.

Balto couldn't help it, he was still being a protective parent. "I don't like you being out here... You could SLIP AND FALL."

"Papa, you've got to stop worrying about me..." Aleu sighed.

Ingrid pointed as she kept her hood up. "I hate to break this up, but we got more company." She was pointing to dangerous wolves of the wild.

"Oh, great." Akito groaned.

The bad wolves came down one by one to pursue the strangers in their habitat. 

"Avoid us, 'cuz," the brown wolf laughed wickedly. "We're mean. Right, Nuk?"

"Yeah, especially when I'm hungry," the other wolf named Nuk agreed viciously. "Especially for humans who don't know where they're going or who they're dealing with..." 

Balto stood close with Aleu as Ingrid stood protectively with Akito and Estelle.

"We don't want any trouble." Akito said.

"This is your territory, so we'll go." Balto added in defense.

The three wolves came over anyway.

"Sorry, but you aren't going nowhere!" the lead wolf chuckled, scratching his fleas while threatening.

"That's 'anywhere'," Aleu corrected with a scowl. 

"Yeah, flea bag." Estelle added.

"Girls, I hardly think this is time to be correcting his grammar..." Balto muttered. 

"You think you can win cuz you got Coyote Girl with you, you got another thing comin', she's flesh and weak like all of youse!" the wolf taunted.

Ingrid looked firmly at them, but she raised her hands in a waving motion again, which seemed to summon something over. It was the raven!

"Do you have magic powers?" Akito asked her.

"You could say that..." Ingrid whispered. "I'm not like most girls..."

"What are you?" Estelle asked.

"I can't tell you now, but I will when the time is right..." Ingrid made the raven scare off the dooming wolves. 

Balto and Aleu were just thrilled the raven was on their side and they could get away. Aleu wanted to challenge them though with her inner wolf.

'Aleu, please don't.' Akito thought.

Aleu growled and pounced to the bad wolves as the raven cawed. Balto took his hand at trying to knock them down and hurt them, the raven didn't hold them off for long. Aleu nearly slipped and drowned with the water wave and the crazier of the wolves was trying to come for him, but Balto butted him away, but soon Akito, Estelle, Ingrid, Aleu, and Balto were surrounded by the three wolves.

'Oh, dear.' Estelle thought.

Aleu and Balto tried their best to take down the endangering wolves.

"Let me help." Ingrid spoke up.

"You're human, wolves aren't too keen on humans." Balto looked back to her.

"Well yeah, but at least let us help." Estelle spoke up.

"How good are you?" Balto asked the feral girl.

Ingrid stepped in anyway, it was three against two. When Aleu and Balto took two wolves, Ingrid came for the other one. 

"Aww... And I thought doggies and humans could swim!" one of the wolves taunted.

"Yeah, yeah, chase their tails with a leash!" the other laughed.

Ingrid seemed to concentrate hard as the wave behind the bad wolves was coming up and splashed them hard like it had hurt them since they were now on the ledge and looked like they were just beat up.

"Wow, she's good." Estelle said.

Akito nodded. The wolves got up, thinking the tide was coming in. 

"Come on, we better get out of here." Balto told Aleu, Akito, Estelle, and Ingrid.

"Balto, it's not the tide," Akito whispered. "Ingrid brought a wave to those wolves to scare them."

"We still have to get out of here before it gets too strong." Balto said to him.

"Good point, besides, I have a feeling they might have a friend that is as evil as they are maybe even more." Akito said.

The alpha wolf named Niju of the three bad wolves was mocking his followers, until a new wolf pack came in and stopped their mocking about 'all doggies going to heaven'. This new wolf with his pack seemed larger and stronger and protective for Balto, Akito, Estelle, Ingrid, and Aleu. 

"I will not let them go, Nava." Niju scoffed to the other lead wolf. "I will not let you, an aging fool, destroy us with your weakness!"

"I admire your passion, Niju." Nava smirked as he came with his followers.

"I have a feeling Niju is about to be humiliated." Akito whispered.

"Niju reminds me of Steele." Estelle said to her brother.

Nava and Niju were at nose and nose. Ingrid didn't have to do anything as a whale was blowing his blowhole with water gushing everywhere. The water from its spout splashed up, then came down and splattered onto Niju, making everyone laugh at his misery. Even Ingrid was laughing.

"Someday your tricks and the Coyote Girl's will not be enough to save you." Niju snarled as he was dripping wet. 

"I'm sorry it had to be this way, Niju." Nava apologized, but sounded anything but sorry.

'I don't feel sorry for Niju one little bit.' The twins thought.

"Thank you for your help." Balto smiled.

"You're welcome," Nava told them. "But it is I who thank you for coming at last."

"You knew we were coming?" Balto sounded surprised.

"Of course, it was I who sent you with Ingrid's help." Nava explained.

"Really?" Estelle asked him. "How?"

"Come with me... We've been expecting one like Aleu for a long time." Nava replied, leading them to his pack with his others following.

And so, they followed Nava into his pack. 

The others were together and Nava took the top rock to make an announcement to his pack. "My brothers and sisters, our summer has almost passed and I have listened to the trees and the blades of grass and they have said this: The caribou will not return this year." 

This made the wolves mutter against each other, that meant no food for them.

"Nor any other year," Nava continued. "For they have crossed the Great Water."

The wolves gasped at that.

"If we are to survive, we must follow them with the Coyote Girl raised by the fox, Iris." Nava then stated, looking to Ingrid.

Everyone began to look towards Ingrid.

"If we are to survive, we must follow her." Nava announced, even if the wolves mostly hated Ingrid for being raised by a fox.

Niju scoffed as he circled Ingrid with Akito, Estelle, Balto, and Aleu. "The old one believes that trees and grass can talk and it's time to realize our leader has lost his ability to lead for trusting a fox girl with the cloth of coyotes!"

This made Akito and Estelle to tighten their knuckles.

"How dare you say that!" a dark brown wolf snapped.

"Yes, Nava has always led us well, even if we are to trust the girl raised by a fox." a silver one added.

"Stop!" Nava barked. "Let him speak."

'Is he serious?! Niju is bad mouthing Ingrid and Nava wants him to speak?!' Akito thought.

"I'm not sure." Estelle said back, she didn't realize it, but she had read her brother's thoughts. 

Nava told that maybe the caribou might come back, they didn't know.

"Niju could be right..." the brown wolf whispered.

"Could be..." the silver one repeated.

'They better not be agreeing with that jerk.' Akito thought.

"How do you expect to survive without caribou?" Ingrid asked. "Even my human people needed them before I left... Mostly for milk."

"She's right," a female black wolf spoke up. "They bring us life."

"Simple," Niju smirked. "We take what we can from the other clans, even if it concerns Coyote Girl's human pack."

The other wolves didn't like the idea of stealing from others as Niju claimed it would be their right to survive.

"And if you eat the food, what about the others?" Estelle spoke up.

"That is none of our concern." Niju scoffed.

"You'll throw everything out of balance!" Akito exclaimed.

"The boy Akito is right," Nava walked over. "Is not the balance of our world the concern of all? If we steal from other clans, those clans will be forced to steal as well. Soon, we will all be fighting for less and less food."

"Uh-oh," one of the dumb, evil wolves murmured. "Less and less food sounds bad, doesn't it, Sumac?" 

"Oh, yeah, really bad, really, really bad..." the mangy wolf, Sumac, agreed. "Unless you're on a diet."

"Who's on a diet?" the biggest wolf looked down at him in confusion.

"Aniu, the white wolf has come to me in dream visions and has taken the form of the one we would least expect on this wolf quest adventure and has told me what we must do..." Nava told the others, mentioning Balto's mother. "She said we must move on we must be led by one who is wolf and does not know..." He came toward Aleu and Balto as he said this.

"I know exactly who is the one that is to lead this pack." Akito said as he looked to Aleu.

"Papa...?" Aleu spoke up.

Balto smiled, he looked pleased. "Look, I'm flattered... Really, I mean, I led a dog team before with Akito in the winter, but not a pack..."

Niju laughed as good as a cackling hyena. "See here... Our wise leader who visits with the great Anui only in his dreams has brought a mutt to guide us."

This made his minions laugh, but wonder what a mutt was. Aleu growled, coming toward Niju, she did not like her father being laughed at for that and neither did Akito or Estelle. 

"It's all right, Aleu," Balto stopped his daughter before a grudge match could happen. "His blood may be pure, but his motives are not." 

Aleu glared at both Balto and Niju, then went to the top rock to let her voice be heard by the others. "I say Niju is afraid to cross the Great Water."

The others gasped at that.

"I am not afraid!" Niju snapped. "But crossing the Great Water is impossible! We cannot swim in it, we could all die! So I, Niju, say Nava must step down and let a true leader take his place." 

"I will step down, Niju, when a true leader takes my place." Nava insisted.

Niju snarled and lunged for Nava to fight him.

'Bad decision.' Akito thought while smirking.

Nava seemed to had disappeared when Niju came for him. The wolves and the few humans came as Niju demanded to be fought so he can take down Nava for good.

"How did you do that?" Aleu and the twins asked in unison.

Niju had enough. "I will not be a leader who depends on foolish dreams or a human who neglected her own kind!" He snarled and looked back at the pack as he walked off. "Those who will, follow me!" 

The wolves murmured to each other, wondering what to do, but a few did go after Niju.

'Traitors.' Akito thought.

The remaining wolves went the other way as Balto and Aleu stared at them. Somehow, Ingrid came up to the tree closest to Aleu and made magical sparkles came out from the palm of her hand and it made the tree come to life and had Nava come out as soon as Niju and the others were out of sight. 

"Ingrid simply helped me become one with the tree," Nava answered Alue, Akito, and Estelle's question once they were alone. 

"If I tried that, I'd get splinters." Balto lightly chuckled.

This made the twins giggle.

Nava led them to the ice caps in the water, leading to the Northern Lights, reciting proverbs they must learn and live by. "But now, we must speak of how you will lead us to the caribou."

Balto looked confused. "Nava, I don't understand..."

Ingrid looked Aleu in the eyes, both of their eyes turning yellow as Ingrid let some visions appear in Aleu's head, like she was more of the new leader than her father was. Akito and Estelle looked at Aleu's eyes and where their eyes began to glow as well. Aleu blinked and shook her head as Nava and Balto talked about dreams. Nava walked off, and making Balto follow as the raven flew overhead, cawing. 

"This has gone too far, Aleu, and it isn't our battle." Balto told his daughter, trying to make them get back home to everyone else.

"But, Papa, I saw caribou," Aleu spoke up. 

"Look, this could be very dangerous," Balto argued. "Despite my dreams or anything else, I will not put you in any danger."

"This is not about you all anymore." Ingrid spoke up. "You all may not be full wolves, but this is about the others and you must help them..."

But Balto didn't want to hear anymore as the wind started to return. "That wind is a sign that winter's coming early, come on, everyone, your parents must be worried sick, especially your mother, Aleu. We'll all leave by morning."

"We're not leaving, Balto." Estelle said.

"We must," Balto said to her. "Your family must be worried sick over you just as well as Jenna."

He saw that the twins and Aleu were serious about helping this pack.

"We're not leaving, Balto," Estelle repeated. "We have to help this pack."

Balto looked to them and sighed. "I don't know..."

"Please, Papa, let us help them." Aleu said to her father.

Balto found he had no choice. They would stay here for tonight. He also relaized that Aleu was a more strong leader of the pack than he was amounting to be. Ingrid had a small smile, it seemed as though this was all going according to plan in her mind.

"Alright, we'll stay here for the night and try and help them." Balto said.

Aleu smiled finally to her father. "Thank you, Papa..."

"Yes, thank you, Balto." Ingrid added.

Balto smiled softly to them. "I guess we better keep ourselves warm with the incoming winter... This weather has been strange lately."

"Come on, we'll help get you guys settled." Aleu told the twins and feral girl.

"Thanks, Aleu." The twins said.

"Ingrid, me and Estelle saw the vision too." Akito whispered to the feral girl.

Ingrid turned to them. "You did?"

"Yes..." Estelle nodded as Balto and Aleu went off to find them shelter for the night. 

"You two have a mighty powerful path ahead of you," Ingrid said, wryly. "Do you know of your parents' backgrounds who made you who you are?"

"We don't know much about Dad's side, but we do know Mom's side." Akito said.

"What's that?" Ingrid asked. "If I may know..."

"Sure you can, you're our friend." Estelle said with a smile before she and Akito explained.

"Oh, my." Ingrid said after hearing about their mother's side.

"Angel, Scamp, Annette, Colette, and Danielle told us," Akito finished.

"The triplets weren't there, but they heard it from Angel and Scamp," Estelle added. "And of course, Dad told us as a bedtime story."

Ingrid slowly nodded. "I see... Your mother sounds very strong to go through that kind of life though."

Balto and Aleu came to the kids as soon as shelter was found for them.

"And Mom and Dad have gone on adventures with Aunt Cherry, Dad mostly, but at times, Mom and Dad would always go on adventures with her." Akito said.

"I heard about her in my village... There were lots of crazy stories about her." Ingrid said as they went to follow Balto and Aleu.

Akito yawned once they got to a cavern to stay in with beds made up for them so they wouldn't have to sleep on the cold, cave floor. Estelle laid down on the floor falling fast asleep without any problems.

"Get some rest, you might need it." Balto said before they all fell asleep.

Soon, they all slept, except for Aleu who had dreams again and decided to go see Nava about them. Estelle woke up and saw Aleu not there and decided to go out and find her and when she stepped out, she saw Aleu walking to Nava. Aleu noticed Estelle and went with her to see the alpha wolf staring at the colorful Northern Lights of Alaska.

"A star dies and another is born," Nava recited. "All is great dance of balance," he then looked to the girls with a friendly smile. "You have questions."

"How'd you know?" Estelle asked with a smile.

"Ingrid informed me." Nava replied.

Aleu smiled, then did ask her question. "Why is Niju so against moving the clan? What is he afraid of?"

"Niju is not a coward," Nava explained as the sky glowed white before it started to rain. "He is not afraid to die, but he is afraid of change. He would rather face starvation than leave the land he believes is ours. This world through which we wander is wonderful and strange... The only truth we can really know is that everything will change."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Estelle said before looking into the ocean. Even though she never had swimming lessons, the ocean looked like a fun place she could swim in.

Meanwhile, it was snowing back in Nome.

Jenna looked out the window with Rosy. "What's keeping them...?" she mumbled, still worried about Aleu and Balto.

Rosy held her dog. "Don't worry, I'm sure they're fine, Jenna..." she whispered calmly.

Boris looked up with Muk and Luk as it snowed in their area.

"Uncle Boris, what do you suppose what's taking them so long?" Muk asked.

Luk whimpered.

Boris sighed. "I'm not sure, boys... I'm not sure..."


	11. Chapter 11

Niju rassled up all the other wolves to take over and they were going to rule now. They were on their way, but got stopped.

"You're not striking anyone, Niju," Balto stopped them. 

"You're outnumbered, half-breed." Niju growled at him.

Akito, Estelle, Nava, Aleu, and Ingrid joined Balto. Balto and Niju were about to match each other. 

Aleu stood up for her father about the dreams. "No, I've seen them too, Niju. We must follow the caribou across the water. Staying here would mean starvation for the clan!"

The wolves weren't' too sure, but since Aleu saw the dreams too, they might be important, they seemed to now believe Niju was the fool. 

"I've heard enough!" Niju growled. "You will not stop us, take them!" he commanded to the other wolves.

The wolves came for the smaller good side group. Ingrid walked up to the ice caps in the water and made them shape and form together while the others were distracted until Nava would call for them.

'Please let there be a sign.' Akito thought.

"Look!" Nava got their attention. 

Ingrid looked over. "Anui told me the time to leave would come with the great breaking of the ice."

"She has a point," Nava nodded in agreement. 

Balto took a look. "The ice flows are lining up. It's like they're making a bridge."

"A bridge to the caribou," Aleu stated. "Last winter, the caribou crossed an ice bridge to land on the other side and now that bridge is forming again."

"We all have to cross the bridge of ice now." Estelle said.

Balto nodded, he understood now.

"The old one spoke the truth about Balto and the humans," a brown and white wolf replied. "We must go now!"

Balto led the way with Akito, Estelle, and Ingrid.

"I'm so glad the bridge of ice got to form again," Akito whispered. "The reason why is because if the bridge hadn't, we would be dead by now."

Niju's minions were going with the other wolves, but he had stopped them. Balto rounded them up before they went further.

"The ice path will only hold for a short time," Ingrid told them. "Buddy up and stick with your partner just to make sure there's no trouble. Understand?" 

The wolves nodded, going to listen to her for a change.

"Akito and I will lead," Balto told them, then remembered when Akito was in charge of the sledding dog team back in the Iditarod. "Mush!" 

The wolves stood there, not knowing what to do when he said that.

"He means move out!" Akito called out.

The wolves then did as told. Aleu, Estelle, and Ingrid helped Nava out more since he was an older wolf. 

Niju saw he was left behind as they followed Balto and Ingrid. "NO! You'll all die!"

"Ignore the evil and scared for change wolf!" Akito yelled out to the pack.

Nava was about to go with them, but a crack split him up from the others.

"Nava!" Aleu gasped for him. 

The other wolves looked and Aleu swooped down to go after him, making the others worry. 

"I have an idea, come with me." Akito told Estelle when Aleu couldn't save Nava and ended up under the water.

"Um, Akito, what are we going to be doing?" Estelle asked as they were getting close to the water.

"Just trust me, okay?" Akito said to his sister, he took her hand. "We're gonna jump!"

"Wait, we're going to do what now?" Estelle asked, hoping she was listening correctly. "Did you just say that we're going to jump?"

"Come on!" Akito said to her.

Soon enough, the twins jumped into the water, making Akito's legs change into the red tail fin like it did before with the current. Estelle began to freak out, but then, her legs began to change into a tail fin as well, only it was a pink tail fin. 

"I don't get it either... We'll talk to Mom and Dad about it later." Akito said to her as they saw Aleu going down the water.

Aleu was looking for a way out but didn't know where to look.

"Quick, let's go help Aleu." Estelle said.

Akito and Estelle swam to Aleu. She looked to them, a bit surprised at the tail fins, but she didn't have time to question it. She got herself stuck between rocks and she was running out of air to breathe fast. The twins helped her out and make it up to shore. Nava saw them coming and helped them onto the ice shore.

"Aleu, Akito, Estelle!" Balto called. "Are you alright?"

"Yes!" Aleu called. "You go on with the rest of the pack, I'll get Nava!"

"We'll stay with her." Estelle said.

Balto didn't protest for once. "Be careful..." he whispered.

"They will." Ingrid told them as though she knew.

Aleu and the twins watched the wolves and Ingrid leave, feeling nervous. Niju growled and came to fight with and finish off Nava. 

"Leave him alone!" Akito exclaimed.

Nava was knocked out from Niju's fury.

"Stop!" Aleu commanded. 

"You..." Niju growled to her and the twins. "I will teach you to mind your place!"

Aleu and Niju got into a fight. Estelle was unsure what to do, there was no way to climb up the ice. Niju hit Nava, Akito, and Estelle as he was going to kill Aleu now. Even if he was told to stay behind, Balto came and looked very angry. 

"Papa, you should be with the rest of the clan!" Aleu cried.

"I will, once I take care of him..." Balto stormed to Niju. 

Ingrid summoned the raven again as the ice patch with the other wolves was drifting further and further away.

"We must go." Nava commanded.

"I agree with Nava." Estelle said.

Niju glared at them and stood in front of them all. "No one's going anywhere!"

"But the clan!" Aleu spoke up.

"They've chosen their fate," Niju glared at her. "Now they will die."

Balto looked to the ones he trusted. "Nava, Aleu, the twins and I can hold Niju off while you get the clan. They need someone to lead them."

"But, Balto, Nava won't be able to swim." Akito replied.

"He is right," Nava added. "Only my spirit is strong now."

"You wanted to be a leader, Niju, well now's your chance!" Balto snapped to him.

Niju actually looked scared once he had the chance to become a leader like he wanted.

"Go on, you've got the whole clan to lead now, all you need to do is to swim to them. So, what are you waiting for? They're waiting for a leader to join them." Akito said while glaring at Niju.

Niju gulped and looked around, then became instantly cowardly. "I-I won't! I'll never leave our land, never!"

Suddenly another ice block came and was crumbling the one they were all on. Niju was going to be swallowed by the water now.

"Papa!" Aleu gasped as Balto was close the edge and she pulled him back. 

Niju got to shore himself and walked away.

Balto looked ahead and had an idea. "I can help you swim over, Nava."

Nava bowed his head, looking over and said nothing.

"No, you're right..." Balto dropped that idea like a bad habit. "You won't make it... I'll go."

"NO!" Aleu refused to let that happen. "You don't belong here, Papa, you belong home with my mother like Akito and Estelle belong with their parents and cousins. It's my destiny..."

"I'll swim you over to them and then I'll swim back to Akito and your dad." Estelle said to Aleu.

Nava saw he was wrong about who the wolf would be, it wasn't Balto. It was Aleu. Balto was struggling though because he had to let Aleu go like this. It had to be done though. 

"Are you sure?" Balto asked Aleu before they set the plan into motion to save everyone.

Aleu looked to him and nodded. 

"It's just so hard to let my baby go..." Balto looked down sadly.

"Dad, I'll always be your baby," Aleu said while she nuzzled him. "But this is something I have to do."

"We'll tell Jenna that Aleu's finally made it home." Estelle said soothingly.

Aleu smiled and shared one last nuzzle with Balto. "Goodbye, Papa. Thank you both for helping too..." she said to the twins, she then jumped into the water and swam over to the wolves with Ingrid.

Estelle helped Aleu the way to the pack. "Just making sure you don't drown." she said while swimming with Aleu.

"I think you should find out where those tails come from," Aleu smiled to Estelle, even if Estelle didn't adopt Aleu, Estelle became the human that she had longed for, but she was going to be happy now because she found a place where she truly belonged as a place in her heart and with new friends, all thanks to Akito and Estelle's help. 

Balto smiled as he thought of the good times he had with Aleu when she was a pup and no one wanted to keep her as their pet. She was closer with him more than the others, Kodiak, Dingo, Anastasia, Dmitri and Lucille. Estelle began to help Aleu up to the pack. Aleu got onto the ice with Sumac and the other wolf's help. She smiled once she climbed on with them.

"Ingrid, are you sure you don't wanna come with us?" Estelle asked the feral girl. "I'm sure Mom and Dad wouldn't mind adopting you..."

"Thank you, new friend, but I belong here in the wild with my mother..." Ingrid told them, calling the fox her true mother again. "I'm a Coyote Girl. Be sure to visit again soon though." 

Aleu smiled, then nuzzled with Estelle. "I'll miss you most of all..."

"I will too." Estelle said, hugging the female wolf.

Aleu smiled, she then let out a howl once they were going off on their own now.

Muru returned with the wind and howled, but quickly disappeared again. 

"She will be a great leader," Nava said as Aleu left with the pack. "And now it is time for you all to go home."

"What about you?" Akito asked.

"You're alone now," Balto added. "Where will you go?"

"I will find Niju," Nava told them. "We are still a clan and would not be whole without each other. Goodbye, my brother..." he said, then went off in the distance.


	12. Chapter 12

Balto came with Akito and Estelle to shore, they could go home now, but the raven returned.

"What do you want now?" Akito asked.

The raven came to them and seemed familiar now. "Only the journey home, my son and his gifted human friends..."

Balto looked surprised. "Anui, you're my..."

The raven formed into the white wolf everyone knew and loved. Anui howled to them and disappeared before their eyes.

"Goodbye to you too, Mother..." Balto whispered sadly.

"Come on, Balto, let's get started on the journey back to Nome, I have a feeling we'll have a lot of walking to do." Akito said.

"Come on then." Balto said to them, then went along as the sun was about to rise.

Rosy was in her bedroom with Jenna on her bed, she held her dog as it was about to snow again and set winter into Nome. 

Mo was pacing around, she looked like a nervous wreck. "Oh, maybe this place is too dangerous to send them to... Maybe we should've stayed with my parents."

"Don't worry, they'll be back as soon as possible." Vincent said to his mother.

"I hope you're right..." Mo sighed a bit.

Jenna sighed, but then she looked to the window. "Wait, here they come!" she called, her tail wagging.

Rosy rushed to the window with Felicity once they heard that. "Balto, Akito, and Estelle are coming back!"

Atticus and Mo ran to the next window to see that Jenna was telling the truth as they saw Balto, Akito, and Estelle coming back. 

"They're back." Cherry actually had a small smile.

Balto ran with the twins and they smiled as they were greeted by a warm welcoming party. Along with warming hugs from all of them.

"Balto, where's Aleu?" Jenna asked her mate.

"I'm afraid Aleu is already home..." Balto told her with a small smile. "We'll see her when we see her though."

"Well, that's nice..." Cherry said. "You are all back in time to get back home."

Vincent hugged the twins. "I was so worried about you guys."

"It's okay, bro, we're okay." Akito said to Vincent, then looks to his father. "But, Dad, I think you need to tell us about your side of the family."

"Oh?" Atticus asked.

Mo looked curious, this sounded serious. 

Cherry knew and put her hand on Atticus's shoulder. "I think it's time for them to know..."

"You're right, Cherry." Atticus said.

"Go ahead..." Cherry stepped aside as she stood with Forte.

"Are you guys okay?" Rosy asked.

"This is important for the jumeaux." Felicity whispered to her for the twins to be alone.

Cherry picked Simon up and allowed Atticus to talk with Akito and Estelle about this.

"Atticus, Estelle, Vincent, you three are merpeople, because your mother and I are merpeople too, well your mother wasn't a mermaid until she was given the gift of being a mermaid." Atticus said.

"I'm a mermaid?" Vincent asked.

"Young merman," Mo corrected to her long-lost son. "But, yes... Your father gave me the gift to become one too since I was born a normal mortal... Well... Mostly normal, if you count living in a junkyard with six dogs..." 

"Our legs turned into fish tails every time we'd go in the water," Estelle explained, then looked to her twin. "That's why you wanted to jump with me to help Aleu..." 

"What about Aunt Darla and Aunt Jessica?" Akito asked. "Are they merpeople too?"

"Yes, your Aunt Darla was also given the gift to be turned into a mermaid, while your Aunt Jessica was born as a mermaid, even if she was born on land as a human." Atticus explained as best he could.

"Aunt Darla wasn't born a mermaid?" Estelle asked.

"Your Aunt Darla was actually adopted." Mo explained, she knew about that part.

"Oh..." Vincent, Akito, and Estelle understood then.

"Are we in trouble for going in the water and using our powers?" Akito asked with a small pout.

"No, you're not in trouble," Atticus said but, then smirks playfully at their daughter. "But a certain someone is in trouble for running away without telling us."

"Aw, come on!" Estelle whined a little.

Mo giggled, she sensed some teasing. "I'm sorry, dear, but you really should've told us." 

Rosy went with Balto and Jenna back home. 

"We hope to see you all again." Balto said before he went in the door with his mate.

"You will, Balto." Vincent said to the wolf-dog.

They were now putting up the statue of Balto and Akito. The Fudo and Forte family were getting ready to go back home for winter.

"Can we tell Eloise and Jenny?" Akito asked Atticus about the mer-cultrue their family had.

"Yes, you can tell them." Atticus said.

"Great, thanks, Dad." Vincent replied.

Akito and Vincent smiled then. Estelle looked to them, then looked out the window, she was the only one who didn't have a special somebody right now in her family, like her Aunt Darla and Uncle Junior. But unknown to her, she was going to meet her special someone in the future of their adventures.

"We'll see you guys around," Cherry said as she carried Simon, who was resting his face against his mother's chest. "Sometime next time..."

"Oh, Monique... Here you are..." Forte found the photograph promised for Mo, handing the picture to the street urchin woman about her long deceased parents at their school dance. "This was long before they had you, but it's the only photograph I have of them. I hope you like it."

"I'm sure I'll love it." Mo said.

"Enjoy it." Forte let Mo keep it, smiling softly.

Mo smiled as she looked at the picture. "I miss you guys more than anything in the world..." she whispered. She began to hug the picture close to her.

Estelle came up to her mother and hugged her legs as a joyful tear came down Mo's face. Mo held her daughter close, showing the picture. Estelle smiled as she looked down at the picture. "Those are your actual parents?"

"Yes..." Mo smiled. "Maestro Forte was kind enough to let me have this picture."

Estelle smiled back to her mother, they shared a loving hug.

Cherry handed Simon to Forte, then came to Atticus. "You know, in the times I met Ariel, she never really mentioned you... I mean, you missed the birth of her daughter, Melody, plus I heard that Attina and Adella have husbands..."

"Yeah, sorry, but I was called away that day." Atticus said.

"Even Flounder has kids," Cherry rubbed her eyes. "Feels like everyone's grown up... Except for me, I've been the same age for at least 20 years."

"I wish there was someway I could help." Atticus said.

"I'll be fine, it's no big deal, I like myself this way," Cherry held her waist. "I like going out in public with Charles and people question how a 'fine young thing' like me landed an old man like that. Luckily Forte bit me in my golden years of beauty." She had a good point. "I didn't think I'd like getting married to him at first, but I guess I'm alright..." Cherry shrugged her shoulders, she sounded uninterested in everything these days.

"Cerise, we must return home..." Forte called to his wife.

"Coming..." Cherry looked back to him, then back to Atticus. "I'll see you sometime in the future, I guess..." she walked off, picking up Felicity as the carriage came for them.

"Yeah, we'll see you around sometime in the future." Atticus said.

Felicity rested against her mother's shoulders as they went off. Mo buckled Vincent, Estelle, and Akito in before they went off to go for a ride to the airport and return to their home. 

Rosy came up to Vincent with Jenna. "Thank you for the gift." She smiled to the older boy.

"You're welcome, Rosy." Vincent smiled back.

"Now we can talk more, Jenna." Rosy smiled down to her pet.

Jenna smiled and nuzzled her. 

"Goodbye, everyone!" Mo called.

There were words of goodbye to her as she and Atticus went to start their drive back home. This was sure going to be a day that Vincent spent with his family and new friends in Nome he will never forget. Mo smiled as Atticus drove them all back home to settle until another adventure for later. This was going to be one adventure the twins would never forget especially sense they found out that they and their older brother and parents were merpeople.

The End


End file.
